Originally, the days were planned for top city officials, including directors and department heads, but as the idea reached other city employees, more people became open to the idea.

“As (top management) discussed it further, we thought there were probably a lot of other employees that would join us,” City Manager Ted Staton said. “We posed the question to them and before long it went from nine directors to 67 employees who volunteered to take unpaid leave.”

The furlough days are in response to the state’s cut in revenue sharing. With the cuts being determined later this summer by the state Legislature, the city wanted to avoid any major impact from loss of revenue.

The five unpaid days could save about $60,000 for the city, Staton said, which is the equivalent of a 2 percent pay decrease for city officials taking the days.

“That is certainly a substantial sum of money, but we also acknowledge that this action is not going to be sufficient to address the kind of cuts that we potentially face depending on the actions,” he said.

Assistant City Manager Marie McKenna said city officials have been looking at various ways to cut back money.

“What we’ve been doing is emergency financial planning since December about what our budget shortfalls may be,” she said.

Both Staton and McKenna said they were impressed with the reaction and the leadership shown by city officials in the face of tough economic times.

“Many people want to avoid the prospect of seeing their co-workers laid off,” Staton said. “And that is a possibility depending on what the state does, and if there is any way they can make small change, they wanted to take it.”

Triplett undergoes surgery

East Lansing City Councilmember Nathan Triplett underwent a procedure to treat Crohn’s disease on June 29 at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. Triplett, who was diagnosed with the disease at age 13, said in a statement he will be taking a six to eight week recovery leave of absence from City Council meetings.

Although Triplett will not be voting on issues brought to council, he plans to remain engaged in city business as well as continuing to address the needs and concerns of his constituents, he said.

“I’ve had some communications with (his wife) Sarah (Triplett) and it sounds like things are going well,” Mayor Vic Loomis said. “The surgery went well and his recovery is going well.”

Triplett is expected to return to council sometime in late August or early September.